Foot-ball.



No. 723,606. PATBNTED MAR. v21.1., 1903.

W. S. JACOBS. PUO'I' BALL.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 29. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Unire STATES Fries.

@PATENT WILLIAM S. JACOBS, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM E. WATERMAN, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT-BALL...

SPECIFICATION: forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,606, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed December 29, 1902. Serial No. 136,929. (No model.)

To all wiz/mn t Wha/y con/cern:

Beit known that l, WILLIAM S. JACOBS, of' Malden, in the county of' Middlesex and State of Massachusetts,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Balls, dro.,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a foot-ball, basketball, punching-bag, or other analogous article comprising an airtight inflatable inner lo casing or bladder and a cover or outer casing composed of relativelyinextensible material, such as leather.

The invention has for its object to enable a ball or bag of this character to be inflated l5 by an ordinary air-pump, such as is used to inflate a bicycle-tire, and at the saine time to provide a connection between the inner and outer casings, whereby separation of the inner from the outer casing at the point where zo the air-pump is applied will be prevented.

To these ends the invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a z5 part of this specificatiomFigure l represents a view of a foot-ball embodying my invenf tion. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged view ofA I the same and a section on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a view similar to a portion 3o of Fig. 2, showing a modification in the form of the valve-holder. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view of he valve-holder represented in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 represents a sectional `View of the valve-holder represented in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a view of the flap of the outer casing. The same characters of reference indicate the same parte in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the air-tight 4o inflatable inner casing or bladder of a foot! ball, which is usually composedof rubber,` and b represents the relatively inextensib'le leather cover. or outer casing. The cover or outer casing b has the usual slit or opening b', the edges of which are connected by a lacing-cord b3, said opening permitting the insertion and removal of the inner casing o; when the latter is deflated.

b2 represents the usual flap, which is stitched 5o to the interior of the outer casing at one side 4au air-valve.'

therein may be of any suitable construction of the opening b and extends across said opening.

c represents a holder for the casing d of Said casing and the valve whereby the valve may be opened by the in- Y sertion of' the delivering-nozzle of an air-pump into the outer end of the casing, the valve being closed automatically when the air-pump is removed. I do not show the interior of the 6o casing nor the valve therein, the construction of'these parts being Well known.

The holder c is of elastic material, such as vulcanized rubber, and is of tubular form, its interior being molded to accurately fit the exterior of the valve-casing d. The holder c comprises an inner portion 3, which is inserted in an orifice formed for its reception in the inner casing a; an enlarged flange 4, which bears uponv and is connected or vulcanized to 7o the outer surface of the innercasing; a'tubular shank (i, projecting outwardly from the flange 4, and an outer llange 5, formed on the shank 6. The flange 5 and shank 6 constitute a flanged head or button adapted to be 7 5` engaged with a suitable part of the outer casing to prevent the separation of the holder, the valve therein, and the portion of the inner casing 4to which the holder is attached from the outer casing. Said head or button 8o is preferably engaged with the flap b2, which is provided with a circular aperture b4, formed to snugly fit the shank 6, the outer flange 5 bearing on the outer surface of the flap and being interposed (in the embodiment of my 85 invention shown in Figs. 2 and 4) between the flap and the portions of theouter casing overlapping the flap. Said portions are parts of the edges of the opening b and are provided with semicircular recesses b5 b5, forming an 9o opening in the outer casing exposing the cap of the valve-casing and permitting the application of the air-pump to the valve-casing when said cap is removed.

In Figs. 2 and 4 I show` the shank 6 pro- 95 vided with an extension 8, projecting above the outer ilange, the outer end of said ex tension being flush with the outer surface of the outer casing. In Figs. 3 and 5 I show a lip 7 formed on the outer Hange and overlapping the outer casing, the edges of the recesses b5 surrounding the margin of the flange 5.

e representsa metal cap internally threaded and screwed upon the externally-threaded outer portion of the valve-casing. Said cap is contained in an enlargement ofv the valve-casing cavity in the head of the holder and its outer portion covers the outer end of the valve-casing. When the inner casing is to be. inflated, the cap e is removed to permit the connection of an air-pump with the valvecasing. The lcap is provided atits outer end with an elastic rubber cushion e', secured to the cap by the vulcanization of the rubber of which it is composed. The cap and cushion are slotted to permit the application of a screwdriver to the cap. The outer surface of the cushion is preferably i'lush with the outer end of the valve-holder.

It will be seen that the valve-casing engaged both with the inner casing a and with the-'outer casing b not only holds the valve and the valve-receiving portion of the inner casing in operative position relatively to the opening provided for the insertion of the airpump, but also by its projection outside the valve-casing prevents the latter from coming in contact with the hand or other portion of the body of a player. The cushion e' on the valve-casing cap also contributes to the protection of the player.

T he connection between the valve-holder and the flap of the outer casing is detachable, owing to the elasticity of the head or button of the valve-holder, so that the inner casing, with its valve-holder and val ve,can be readily removed from the outer casing for repairs.

My invention enables a foot-ball or other analogous ball or-bag to be easily and quickly inflated ,by the employment of an air-pump.

While I have shown my invention embodied in a foot-bal1,^it will be understood y2. A ball or bag comprising an inner casing,

an outer casing` havinga slit or opening and an apertured flap extending across said opening, an elastic tubular valve-holder afxed to the inner casing and having a flanged head formed to engage the apertnred flap, to prevent separation of the holder and the portion of the inner casing to which it is atxed from the outer casing, and a valve inserted in said holder.

3. A ball or bag comprising an inner casing, an outer casing having a slit or opening, and an apertured ap extending across the opening, an elastic Vtubular valve-holder affixed to the inner casing and having a flanged head formed to engage the apertured flap, a valve inserted in said casing, and a slotted screwthreadedy cap detachably engaged with' the out-er end of the valve-,casing and having an elastic cushion on its outer end, said cushion being slotted to permit accessof a screwdriver to the slot of the cap.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM S. JACOBS. 

